It came to me somewhere between waking and sleep. Not the kind of dream that feels strange or distant, but one of those that feels almost remembered, like it had already happened and I had just forgotten it for a while. I was lying there, not quite asleep, not fully awake, and the images started […]
The Revival in my Dreams Read More »
The Supreme Court handed down a decision today striking down Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors. The ruling, decided 8–1, surprised many. It will likely reshape how states regulate therapy, speech, and professional boundaries moving forward. For many of my colleagues in counseling and mental health, this decision feels like a step backward. For
This week, I watched James Talarico’s speech after his recent political win in Texas. Something about the way he spoke landed with me. Judging by the reactions online and in conversations with friends, it landed with a lot of other people too, especially Christians who still care deeply about their faith but feel increasingly homeless
When the Church Leaves Before the People Do Read More »
One of the most overlooked moments in the life of Jesus happens early, before the crowds, before the healings, before the Sermon on the Mount. It happens quietly, in the wilderness. In that story, Jesus is offered something far more seductive than comfort or bread. He is offered power. Real power. Political influence. Control over
The Temptation Jesus Refused (and the One American Christianity Accepted) Read More »
Have you ever noticed how we hear something powerful and immediately think, Someone else really needs to hear this? Not us, of course. It’s always a brother-in-law. A cousin. A neighbor. That person on Facebook. The one who doesn’t get it. I’ve watched this play out for years in churches, classrooms, therapy offices, and living
Amen. Preach It, Brother. (Just Not to Me.) Read More »
This morning we lost power. We still do not have power and are getting a little colder. We’ll be fine. That’s not the point of this story. Like many people do during storms, someone posted in a community group asking if others had lost electricity. Several folks chimed in: yes, they were out too. Others
When the Power Goes Out: Gratitude Without Superiority Read More »
I have been thinking all week about the confession of Philip Yancey. For decades, Yancey has been one of the clearest voices in evangelical Christianity, a writer who made grace feel believable again. His books didn’t just defend Christianity; they humanized it. He gave language to the weary believer, the bruised skeptic, the person who
When Christian Heroes Fall: Hypocrisy, Grace, and the Strange Work of Truth Read More »
There’s a saying that goes, “The best sermons are lived, not preached.” It means that actions speak louder than words, that integrity is found not in what we say, but in how we live. In my family, there’s no better example of this than my grandfather, Cortez Wesley. He never wrote a book or led
When I was twelve or thirteen, my parents came home from what felt like a spiritual revival for families. They’d just returned from one of Bill Gothard’s weeklong Basic Youth Conflicts seminars; those massive evangelical events that could fill entire stadiums in the 1970s and early 80s. They brought back binders, books, games, and a
There’s a certain kind of phrase that rolls off the tongue easily when we don’t know what to say. “Everything happens for a reason.” “God has a plan.” “This must be part of something bigger.” They’re meant to soothe, but too often, they wound. I’ve sat with people who lost a child, who were betrayed
The Cruelty of Comforting Lies Read More »